1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to electronic commerce, and more specifically to a technique for handling on-line sales and delivery of regulated items implemented using a data network.
2. Background
Over the past decade there has been a dramatic increase in on-line electronic commerce transactions conducted between consumers and retailers via the Internet or World Wide Web. Typically, during an electronic commerce transaction, the on-line merchant or retailer displays an electronic catalog of items which are available for purchase by a consumer or customer. The consumer then selects desired items to add to his or her electronic shopping cart and, when finished, requests to proceed to “checkout” in order to purchase the selected items and complete the electronic commerce transaction. Once the “checkout” transaction has been completed, the on-line merchant then fulfills the customer order, and either ships or delivers the customer order to a delivery location specified by the customer.
It is noted that most electronic commerce transactions that occur over the Internet are subject to the regulatory laws of the state or region where each on-line sales transaction has occurred. Typically, the laws and regulations governing on-line sales transactions are determined based upon the customer's billing address or the location where the delivery is to take place.
It is the responsibility of the on-line merchant to be aware of and conform with the requirements of each state's regulations relating to electronic commerce transactions in that state. Unfortunately, many on-line merchants are not able to conform with each state's regulations governing on-line sales transactions when engaging in electronic commerce transactions with customers in a particular state. One reason for this is that many systems which are designed to implement electronic commerce transactions are not configured to take into account each of the regulations governing electronic commerce transactions when taking orders from customers residing in different states or regions.
Accordingly, there exists a continual need to improve upon electronic commerce techniques in order to comply with laws and regulations which affect electronic commerce and on-line sales transactions.